I Never Say Goodbye
by rhapsody-of-dreams
Summary: When Anna's mother calls her to go to London for a reunion, she takes flight and finds herself in the hands of Lucy Wilde, one of AVL's best agents! With bad guys and villains hot on her heels for a secret that Anna holds, she's going to need some professional espionage help from Lucy and a certain suave spy car. Sequel to 'Summer of Goodbyes'. Rated T for precaution.
1. Chapter 1

I am not a fan of heights – well, I _was _not a fan of heights.

My hands were moving faster than the swoop of a hawk on its prey, grabbing a suspended vine and thrusting myself high, high, _high _into thin air before diving into the tangle of leaves and branches and snatching up another one.

The wind was sweeping across my cheeks. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I managed to balance myself on a bough and slid down the slippery moss as though I was skating on ice.

"Blimey! Ain't this girl a showoff!" I caught of glimpse of red as it whizzed past me in minutes. She turned to the back, chortled and shouted, "Can't catch me!"

I gritted my teeth, a smirk plastered on my lips. "A challenge?! You're on, Cindy!"

As we propelled ourselves – Hellen, Cindy and I – into the heart of the jungle, the panorama transformed. The moss-covered boughs and dew-dripping leaves peeled off from the view and flashing neon lights took their places, accompanied by piercing skyscrapers, hovercars and gargantuan machinery, whirring and grinding. The vines vanished from our hands and appearing beneath the soles of our shoes, magnetised hoverboards.

"This is so much cooler than the Hunger Games! Wheepie!" Hellen screamed at the top of her lungs, hanging her arms upwards as we headed for a narrow passage. The edges of the road was stacked high with crates, long mechanical arms reaching for one after another black box.

Pushing more force into the balls of my heels, my hoverboard scooted ahead of Cindy and Hellen. I directed the board up and zoomed past the machinery, making somersaults through the large screws fastened into the contraptions and sliding against the crates using the momentum produced from my gravity on the board.

"Wow, hey! We are not in Tron, you know!" Hellen exclaimed from below me. I merely smirked, kicked up the speed and zipped past the terrifying clutches of the metal claws, reaching the exit...

...when the simulation ended there and then.

"Good job, guys! The test went fairly well!" Professor Moonswood clapped her hands, taking the safety goggles off.

The three of us returned the simulation glasses to the professor, squeals and giggles erupting as we chatted about the exhilaration of the experience.

"Professor, that was AWESOME!" Hellen exclaimed, "Can we do that again?!"

Cindy nodded vigorously. "I SO agree with Hellen! _Pleaseeeee?"_

"Girls, but this is but a test. And the Fantasie – HP4114 still needs some adjustments and more tests need to be run. Sorry but I'm afraid this the last time you're ever using it." She arranged the shaded glasses on a table and it descended into the polished tile floor. "Well, you can go now. This machine requires Zekie's assistance."

We sauntered out of the laboratory and down the winding corridor, which had entrances to rooms centralising in different researches. Men and women, donned in white lab coats, zipped past us without a single glance, either occupied by the documents in their hands or cautiously sending some sort of machinery on trolleys.

BleuLabs was as hectic as every of its days, employees doing experiments and conducting studies on ways to solve the problems of mankind and improve its wellbeing.

"You know, let's go and get some grub," I said. A growl rumbled in my stomach, hollow and famished.

"So that's why you didn't say anything!" Hellen fastened her pace with mine so she was walking beside me. "You were hungry! I bet you thought the Fantasie machine was cool too and Professor Moonswood should have given us another trial!"

I shook my head. "What she did was understandable."

"WHAT?" Cindy was the first to cut in.

"There were some perceptible flaws during our simulation. For example, I noticed that when I was glided on the branches, after a few minutes, it seemed like it was fading then it became concrete again. After that, when we entered the futuristic world, some of the crates were not black but grey. As for the gigantic cranes we saw, one of them was lagging." I imitated the sound of a damaged television. "Now you know why she didn't let us go again? It would have been dangerous if the machine went berserk halfway."

"Okay...," Hellen agreed begrudgingly, "Wow, you are quite observant to have noticed all that. Literature helped you in that?"

"Let's just go get some fries and chicken, 'kay?" I said in a flat tone, too hungry to answer Hellen's question.

* * *

"It has been three years already." Cindy dipped some fries into a blob of ketchup and chucked them into her mouth.

"You intend on being stubborn enough not to go back?" Hellen was playing with her straw, stirring her fizzy orange for who-knows-for-how-long.

I shook my head. "Never."

I was 3 three years older since I departed from a place that should not have existed in my world. When I came back to my homeland, I strived for my Science subjects yet somehow, I ended doing a little better than failing. Sadly, it wasn't enough for me to continue on in the same stream. I moved to take up Literature in college and guess what?

I excelled.

My father did not questioned when I made a surprise home-bound journey that day. He must have known that _something _happened, from my red puffy eyes and miserable countenance, and made spicy vegetable soup that soaked my bones in warmth. It reminded me of mum and drips of joy seeped into my veins.

I decided to engage myself in more outdoor activities – not the extreme ones – like jogging, trekking up the hill in the nearby town, and joining a few club to improve my skill in writing.

I also made visits to the lab where my mother used to work before she moved to the North Pole, greeting the employees and prancing around the vicinity as if I owned the place. Not that anybody could complain since my mum was amongst the best former employees and had many friends, giving me easy access.

"I don't need to repeat myself. The past is in the past and should not be brought up." I bit a chunk of my fried chicken and chewed on it, the savoury spices and sauce melting into my taste buds.

Cindy sighed. "Up to you. I would not mind going back there. I kind of miss the country side. City life is a temporary excitement except to those who sought for it."

Hellen giggled. "You said it, sister."

* * *

A message on my phone alerted me that I had a missed call.

"_Mum", _it was displayed clearly on the screen. I regretted cranking up the volume of my laptop while listening to 2014 hits.

I called her back and waited for someone to pick the phone patiently.

"_Hello?" _Static interrupted the clarity of her speech, but so far her voice was audible. There is no wi-fi in the Poles, so don't expect smooth communication either.

"Mum? It's me, Anna."

"_Anna darling! Haven't been in touch with you for a long time now? How are you and Dad?"_

"We are fine. Dad's okay, he's still in school though, having evening classes with the students. The exams are around the corner."

"_So soon? It's not even the mid-term yet!"_

"The systems' have changed, Mum. Now education relies heavily on assignments. Dad's been grumbling about for days now."

"_Your poor Dad. He's only been teaching the old format for what, 2 years? Now, he has to adjust to a new one. Must be pressuring on me. Have you been helping out with the chores?"_

"Of course, Mum. College is not far away. I have been doing more laundry and cooking of late. Sometimes, I buy take out from Nando's. Dad is a fan of their wraps."

"_Nandos?"_

"It's a restaurant, Mum. Famous for its grilled chicken."

"_I have been removed for so long I barely keep up with the times..."_

I drew in a breath, then exhaled. "It's okay, Mum. I miss you."

"_I miss you too, darling. Why don't we meet up?"_

"What? For real?" Two years already since mum left to the North.

"_Yes, I have a favour to ask from you, actually. Do you remember Aunt Patrina in London? We can stay at her house."_

"I'll tell Dad straight away!"

"_NO!" _The piercing screech halted my steps.

"Why, Mum?"

"_Your Dad is already busy now and he probably won't be able to take a leave from his duties since he recently has been posted at the school. I can meet him on a later date. I want to meet you __**personally**__." _

The last part contained an edge I was cautious of; it sounded like there was something she wanted to hide from me.

"Okay, Mum. So, guess I'll have to tell Dad you are arranging for a date with him in France sometime in May?"

"_Tell him: he and I are vacationing for at least a week."_

"Okay, see you in London, mum! Bye!" The line disconnected as I pressed the 'Exit' button.

A click echoed in the halls and the small bell above the door at the porch let off a peal. Dad was back.

* * *

"Who knew our best friend would leave for the cold, cruel world, _alone, _someday?" Cindy dramatically said to Hellen.

"For London? For two weeks? How lovely!" Hellen clapped her hands like a small child.

I sighed. "Do you guys love being mean or something?"

Cindy ran her fingers through my hair. "Of course, dear, considering you never actually left more than 5 kilometres of your house! It's about time you sprout wings and fly off to the world where challenging obstacles and adversities await!"

"If that's the case, I'd rather stay at home and do online businesses." I huffed.

""What! Girl, you're so antisocial! Get out a bit and enjoy! Life is full of hardships, but so are the enjoyments and fun! Trust me, you won't just relish this vacation, you'll never forget it!"

Yeah, Hellen, like the last one.

* * *

The journey took a long time, as arduous as the last time I went to –

Crap. Not supposed to be thinking about matters that don't relate to you anymore!

They don't exist in your life nor do you have to care!

If it was possible, I never want to see another talking car again.

When I arrived at Heathrow, I was in for a major shock. The edifice was teeming with anthro cars from the other side.

_How in the world?! I thought they stayed on the other side! The airport is much too small for their size!_

The wait for my luggage was taxing; especially when I caught on to a conversation shared between a couple near me.

"Hun," the girl called, "this place looks bigger than the last time we visited. Did they renovate it?"

"Yeah, according to the guide book, they renovated the airport so the cars from the other world can fit too. A lot of buildings are resized now so they can cater to their 'new' customers. Guess even _they_ love our place, huh?" the man replied.

I exhaled, fuming silently. If only that silly machine was not built...why didn't her ancestor devise something that would have been more useful?

With my bag in tow, I stepped out into the open air, greeted by the captivating panorama before me. The frigid March chill shook me, soaking between the layers of the coat I recently bought.

I reached for my phone and dialled the number my mother had e-mailed me. Behind me, someone else's phone beeped. I turned, curious.

A young woman, in her mid-thirties, picked her phone up and pressed a button. Oddly, the dialling tone on my side of the line went off.

"What's going on?" I asked myself.

The lady approached me, taking her shades off as she did so. Clad in a turquoise overcoat and polka-dot scarf, she looked like an officer from a prestigious company, especially with that prim bun in her reddish hair and a small handbag slung on her shoulders.

"Hello," she chirped.

"Hi," I said warily, "may I help you?"

"You are Anna, right? I was asked by your mum to pick you up."

"Um." What was Dad's advice to me again? Right: don't talk to strangers, mainly the ones who claim they know your parents.

"Uh, that's okay, I'll take a cab." I strode away from her, dragging the wheeled baggage as quick as I could from her.

"Wait, wait! I mean, honest! Your mum sent me to take you to your Aunt Patrina's. You called her, right? And my phone rang? It's your mum's phone that I'm holding now." The woman rushed to me from behind, dangling the phone in front of me.

"Still don't believe you. For all I know, you could have pilfer it from her," I flatly said, walking relentlessly.

"She's in the North Pole." I froze. The strange brunette was correct. How could she have stolen the phone if Mum was in the North?

"Okay, you win," I admitted.

She led me to a small car, as blue as her overcoat, and opened the door for me.

"Get in," she said with an almost intimidating note.

* * *

**Hello everyone! I am back with a new story; this time not just involving Cars but also Despicable Me! I'm still trying my hand at this so pardon me if there are mistakes. I hope everyone will enjoy this story of mine! :)**

**Please leave reviews and comments if you think anything in this fic needs fixing! Until next time! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the review you guys have submitted! I appreciate it all! **

**I also would like to inform y'all this story takes place after the events in Cars 2.**

**Let's begin the next chapter of our story!**

* * *

Disgruntled, I squirmed in my seat, the seatbelt strapped across my chest. The unease as I tried to settle in reminded of having a snake wrapped around my neck.

"Who are you exactly?" I hissed, eyeing her distrustfully.

The woman's eyes were tacked on the road, her hands handling the steering professionally. "Which one? Fake or real?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well, for starters, my name is Lucy Wilde. I'm an escort sent by your mother to take care of you."

"Take care of me? Does she think I'm still 7?" My fingers curled into a ball as I settled tensely, my shoe tapping impatiently.

"And then, I'm Agent Lucy Wilde, AVL's best agents."

"Wait, _what_?" That absolutely took me by surprise.

"Hold on," Lucy said. When I whipped around, I understood why she said that.

The car was heading straight a long wooden platform, jutting out towards the ocean. The ferry was departing from the wharf. We wouldn't make it.

"Stop! Stop, stop, stop, stop!" But Lucy wasn't listening, instead she stepped on the pedal, boosting the speed of the vehicle twice as fast.

We were ripping through small seaside shops, shocked customers jumping out of the way screaming and panicking, skidding off the platform and in the process scaring an innocent fisherman...then gravity took over and the car, along with us, plummeted into the deep blue with a loud splash.

As we sank, Lucy pressed a red button on the dashboard and the features of the car transformed into a submarine. The wheels tucked in, and the engine turned into motorised turbines, propelling us deeper into the sea.

I inhaled, held my breath, exhaled. "WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?!" I screeched.

"An agent," she said brusquely.

She brought the car towards a pair of carefully-concealed metal doors, and pushed a button. The entrance opened and we entered, landing the sub onto a circular platform and converted it to car mode while seawater drained away.

We rose into the ceiling, and light filtered on the entire vicinity. Before me was an oval-like table and faintly tinted windows, people bustling and working on the other side of them. It was difficult to make out their faces or even the colour of their uniform.

"Ahem." I spun on the balls of my heel to face the owner of the voice.

"Good day, Miss Anna," said a rotund, grim-looking man with a cup of steaming tea in his hands, "I deeply apologised for the sudden change in plans. It was scheduled that Agent Wilde should have sent to your aunt's residence but our satellite feedback detected someone was on your tail. We simply had to bring you to our headquarters for safety."

I stood agape. "What. Is. Going. On. **Here?**" I tried to maintain composure; I'm almost an adult, I must have self-control.

"I am Silas Ramsbottom, the head of the 'Anti-Villain League', an organisation that strives to fight crime on a global scale. And you today are our special 'guest'."

"Am I in a James Bond movie?" I asked, my expression scrunched.

Lucy chortled. "You're hilarious."

Silas cleared his throat again. "No, you certainly are not. We will explain to you about the objective of your arrival in London."

A large screen lowered down in front us. A video started playing.

"This was obtained from the research labs in the North Pole, yesterday."

My stomach churned with ice water. Yesterday?

As the video continued, I saw that the white edifices that used to be the laboratories were completely decimated. Debris, shards of glass and twisted, broken metal splayed the white surface like a scenario taken from the War of The Worlds movie. AVL agents trudged between snow and detritus, picking up and examining fragments that could function as evidences or clues, sorting through piles for corpses, which to my dismay, were plenty.

My hands slowly cupped my lips, eyes widening in horror.

Suddenly, video flickered. There was a bang. One AVL agent who was standing near a small mound of debris jerked back in surprise. The mound shifted, groaned and came _alive._

_Literally._

The shape of the creature was vague because of the distance, and the screech it unleashed was like the sound of chalk dragged on a balckboard.

It pounced on the man viciously, and I knew he was a goner when I heard a sickening crunch.

The other agents brandished their guns and began shooting at it. The bullets pierced through the body of the creature but, frightfully, it was unfazed. With an ear-piercing cry, it sprung on another unsuspecting agent and crushed him with its weight. The rest of them spread out, distraught cries pervading the hellish atmosphere and more gunshots echoed in the background.

A gloved hand of a bloodied agent slammed into the camera and the screen turned black.

"Oh my g –

"Anna..." Lucy had her hands outstretched to me. I drew back as fast as a frightened cat.

"Mum! What about my mother?! What happened out there?! That thing...it killed my mother! You have to do something about it!" Lucy held me back as best as she could while I tried to claw at Silas.

"We are unsure of your mother's bearings. For now. We confirmed that she was not among the deceased found yesterday. Perhaps, before the 'accident' happened, she managed to flee," Silas remarked flatly. He sipped on his tea, which by now had gone cold.

I let out a breath but I felt the stone in my stomach. Lucy released her grip on me, scooting back to her boss.

"Well," Lucy started, "not all our men lost to that 'thing' out there. They were able to stop it by luring it into a trap and subduing it by gagging it with chloroform. It was transported back to the lab. Currently, our more professional employees are doing research on it and we'll be informed soon enough about that thing."

"I don't get it. What does that monster have to do with me?" I asked.

Silas produced a slip and placed it on his table. He beckoned to me.

I stalked over and looked at him first, then back to the piece of paper. Silas gave me a nod and I turned it over and read it.

_Silas Ramsbottoom, AVL – direct_

_F.M, M16._

_A+ EP – 45_

_Please care for her._

My mind racked over my mother's rushed handwriting. Not that I knew what she had scribbled either.

"I...I don't get any of this code stuff my mum wrote down..."

"Not to worry, it clearly was directed to me. The second one is concerning someone, ah, I mean, your _second _agent," Silas clarified.

"What? I have a second agent?" The parchment shivered in my clutch.

"About the third part, I am not so certain...we presume you could have known about it," Silas solemnly informed.

His tone was getting to me. Does this mean that Mum predicted this would happen? Where is she now? Is she okay?

A hand touched my shoulder, securing my shaking frame. A smile, gentle, on Lucy lips comforted me, somehow.

"Miss Anna," Silas proceeded, "will you cooperate with us?"

I got a hold of myself, stood straight and stern. "Like I have a choice."

* * *

"Why of all places must we rendezvous here of all places?"

The building was spacious and large; its columns and pillars marble white and exhibits exquisite and historical as though they were snatched from the periods in the past.

The British Museum didn't strike me as the best place to meet a secret agent, not when a three of more hundreds of people were sauntering and ambling around admiring pieces of yore.

"What's your position?" Lucy asked from the other side of the earpiece disguised as my headphones.

"Lucy – I mean, Miss Lucy-

"Just call me Lucy. Do you see him yet?" Her tone was tingling with suppressed excitement.

"No! There's like a bajillion people around here – and cars – and they all look the same to me! How am I going to find him?! And I even know how he looks like or his makes or model!" I rasped angrily on my line.

"Haha! Calm down, An!"

_An? Why in the world did she call me that?! And why is she giggling?_

"This is no time for jokes, _Miss _Lucy. Seriously, you know where he is?" I said as I strolled. I halted when my eyes fell on a particularly interesting display.

"I don't know. All I know that he's British and he's a spy, like me."

I huffed, irked, and continued down the crowded hallway.

_Why is the museum so full today anyway? Gosh, I hate crowds. It feels so stuffy and hard to breathe..._

My train of thought died when my eyes met green ones. They bore holes into my soul and his smile, cunning and mysterious, made my heart leap like a frog on sugar rush.

"An!"

The voice that I only knew for a day snapped me back to reality. Too late though. I didn't notice how entranced I was by his smile that I found myself, face first into a _freaking pillar._

"NGHHH!" I flinched inwardly, cupping my nose and struggling to adjust my glasses. "Stupid pillar," I mumbled.

"Are you alright?" That didn't sound like Lucy.

I was not an expert in automobiles, nor was I crazy for them, but once I laid my sight on the car in front of me, there was something _familiar _about him. Like I have seen him somewhere along the course of my life; a television show, a movie, a book?

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit distracted." I got to my feet, putting my headphones on.

"That is great to know. Would you mind...," he paused, his viridian orbs averting for a minute, "taking a stroll with me? I could show you around the museum if you like."

_Wow. This one's a gentleman, I can tell. I wonder if he's up to Tom Hiddleston's standard?_

"That would be...lovely." We headed to the second floor by elevator and then went down a maroon-carpeted hallway filled with exhibits.

"It would seem this is your first time here," he started.

"Oh yes, it certainly is. I've never been to London before, even though I have an aunt here."

"An aunt? She's far away from home, is she?"

_Thump._ "She got married to local here."

"Your mother is a terribly proficient scientist, isn't she?"

_Thump. Thump. _"Wow, news spread wide, don't they?"

I stopped. The noises were blocked out, blurring, dimming. The hallway felt small, intruding, closing in on me. My heart was pounding.

So, this guy is...

"You found him!" Lucy appeared from nowhere and skipped towards us.

"Miss Lucy, it's a pleasure to meet you in person," the silver-grey car gave her a curt bow.

"It's an honour to meet you, Finn. I see you have brought our _client. _Thanks for taking care of her for me." Lucy chuckled.

"I had a strong hunch you were the agent. The way you were giving me hints like that..." I stared at him from the corner of my eyes.

Finn turned to face me. "Finn McMissile. British Intelligence. Your escort and consort. Pleasure to meet you."

"You work under the Secret Service for the Queen. M16, I knew I had read that in the Net a long time ago, by accident."

"You're a clever one, aren't you?"

"So, are we geared up and ready to go?" Lucy asked, clapping her hands. She looked too psyched for a mission as perilous as this one.

"Come on now. We need to bring our discussion to a more private location." He winked at us and headed for the elevator.

"Oh." Lucy cocked an eyebrow to me, smirking. "Suave." I looked away, annoyed.

* * *

**A/N:** **YESSHHHHH Finn McMissile is in the house! I have not been to London nor have I seen the inside of the British Museum so if there are any errors, I'm sorry if I did any. **

**Anyhoo, Finny, Luce and Anna are going for a roadtrip soon! Watch out for the next chapter!**

**See you until next time! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Goodness, I can believe that for two chapters straight, I forgot to add the disclaimer in my fic! **

**Good thing Pixar hasn't come to sue me yet. XD**

**Disclaimer (for the rest of the story, I MUST not drop this ever): Cars belong to Pixar and Despicable Me are copyright of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment, and so are their respective characters.**

* * *

The first thing I noticed was a strong, sweet scent: the combination of expensive shampoo, soap and generous sprays of perfume. Facing the plasma television set were two single beds covered with rich maroon duvets, complete with beige pillows and a matching bedcover embroidered with intricate designs.

The bathroom was spacious, with a large bathtub sitting majestically in one corner, its rims golden and curved, and a sink lined with several brands of shampoo and soap.

I ran my fingers across the long thick curtains by the windows, dyed a deep hue of red, before drawing them, daylight cascading into the room. From the 10th floor of the hotel, it is then I see a clearer picture of the city.

Skyscrapers jutted out, piercing the sky, while condominiums and apartments stood tall and sturdy like Lego blocks splayed on a huge play mat. People bustled through the vehicle-streamed streets, going about with their businesses.

I leaned against the windows, my shoulders hunched and my arms limp across my sides. I let out a sigh, my brows creased. It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation for mum and I, not a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with a villain who was out for blood.

And that was not the least of it. Being stuck with a secret agent who monitors you 24/7 is worse. Especially when she has a bubbly and lax personality that makes her somewhat immune to the daunting realisation of this mission.

"Why are you so calm right now? Don't you know what's going to happen soon?" I advanced to her, my shoes tapping noisily across the carpet.

Lucy shrugged and replied, "Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to you. Or your family. You'll be safe."

The tethers of my patience snapped. I gnashed my teeth, and balled my fists, my face turning hot.

Before I knew it, I grabbed a lamp from the table, yanking its cord from the plug, and slammed it into the ground into an explosion of shattered glass. "You think this is funny?! You think this is something to be taken lightly of?! Crap! This is all nonsense! My mother is out there, with those..._things_ after her and she might not even be alive anymore and all we're doing is taking shelter in a luxurious hotel, hiding from the enemy?! You don't understand what I'm going through now!"

Out the door I dashed, ignoring the frantic cries of my 'agent' and pushing through the crowd at the receptionist until I reached the exit. I stepped out and took a long deep breath, my legs shaking from the sudden sprint.

Filled with depression and guilt from my actions earlier, I wandered down a pavement, with my hands in the pockets of my hoodie. I didn't watched where I was going, mostly because my gaze was looking down as my mind whirred about the possibilities of my life from here on.

Would I live in the end, like the heroines in the movies I have watched? Or will death snatch me away with the victory in the hands of the villain? And if it did, what would happen after?

What will happen to Dad?

The thought of it was too heartbreaking that I shook my head and knocked it lightly with my hand as if I could make those morbid assumptions dissipate by doing so. Alas, I could not.

I found myself eventually reaching a park, where people were meandering around and dogs were being walked. The sky was a gloomy grey, but there was no snow nor rain, just the chill that turned my fingers to ice and my breath to mist.

There were bricked pavements veining into the park, encircling a large lake in the centre. Trees were everywhere, swaying in the gusts that occasionally passed, their dry and frozen leaves scattering across the pavements. For a moment, I felt as though they were mourning for me.

My hands trembled in my pockets. Chills rippled down my spine and I pulled my jacket closer, desperate for warmth. I stopped, gazing at the lake which was still and dead.

"Anna."

How did she find me?

I did not turn and stayed still like the pool of water beyond the railing.

The tapping of her heels made my heart burned, my finger quivering either from the anxiety or cold, and her hand on my shoulder jolted my stiff shoulders.

"Come, let's go back to the hotel," Lucy said.

Why should I?

She seemed to know the reason for my refusal and loosened her grasp on my shoulder. With a sigh, she leaned against the railing encircling the lake, looking up at the sky, streaked with a faint purple mixed with orange.

"My mum was a fun and cool person, you know." I was silent. "She loved Sherlock Holmes and tennis."

Zero response. She went on. "I loved her a lot. I didn't know who my dad was and I stuck close to my mum most of the time. She had this quaint bookshop where I'd always go to read Sherlock Holmes. Because of that, I wanted to become a private investigator like Holmes. I was amazed by his on-the-spot deductive skills. So, I read lots and did my own investigating, which mostly were searching for lost or misplaced stuff at home."

"Then, one day, it was announced a camp would be held in school. I'd just turned 12. It was for three days and I went for it. I remember...how my mum packed stuff for me, tousled my hair and kiss me on the cheek before I left. If only I knew that would be the last time I ever get kisses from her."

"After three days, I came home and found the police swarming the place. When there were police around, that meant trouble and danger. The next thing I knew I was pushing and bulldozing my way through the crowd. I saw my mum, lying on the carpet in a pool of red. Red was everywhere. The tiles, the wallpaper...it was like a wave hit me, rising and falling below me, tossing me around in a little boat. I threw up and cried. I touched her body, crumpled by her side and wailed," she added.

I hate stories like these. I hate them because my emotions immediately react to them, twisting and scrunching as tears threatened to fall. Especially when it was true, not an excerpt from a movie or a novel. Especially when Lucy was casual in telling her tale, even though her eyes had turned into pools that lurked with grief.

I could feel it: the pain and sadness, but it felt faded. Like a wound slowly closing.

"It must have happened the morning I was coming back. Because if it had happened earlier, they would have called me. The police took my mum's body away with me still holding on to it, sobbing worse than any sad, grey day of my life. I must have looked really ugly."

"No, you would not." Surprisingly, I found myself comforting her even though my anger still boiled.

Lucy gave me a smile. "Silas was the one who tore me away from her. He spun me around, stare at me in the eye with those empty orbs of his before wiping my tears with a hanky. He said that he had seen my much precious collection of Sherlock Holmes and asked whether I wanted to be like the detective. I nodded, still crying. Silas smiled with satisfaction and asked again whether I wanted to follow him, so I could become like Sherlock. I said yes between sobs and that's how I ended up here, with you as AVL's best agent."

I dashed away a blob of water at the ridge of my eye. See, I hate it. During her story, I heard Jessie's 'She Always Loved Me' playing in the back of my mind, like in Toy Story. Weird how my head works sometimes.

"Anna, I understand completely how worried you are for your mum. I'm amazed, in fact, that you could still love her despite her long absences from home," she commented.

I let out a lady-like snort. "That's not entirely true. I used to blame her for all the problems that happened to Dad and me when I was a child, to the point I thirsted for love from someone else." For a second, _that_ place flashed in my mind; quiet and pristine with sandy canyons, mountains and waterfalls, with its caring neighbourhood that hollered 'Hi' to you when you walked down the street, and..._him. _I once believed that anyone can fall in love over and over, but I was wrong. You don't forget your first love that easily.

"But as I grew older, I realised that no matter what, she's still my mother and forever will be. She birthed me, and made many sacrifices for me. What right do I have to say my mother is at fault? Who knows, in the future, when I am a parent, I will be as selfish as her to finance my family's needs? For all I know, humans were meant to err."

There was a short, instantaneous laugh from the agent beside me. The oddest part was that I found myself chortling with her.

"Oh, Anna! You're so funny!" Lucy blurted between giggles. "Hilarious! For someone so young, you have the humour of an old hag!" She let out more hysterical laughs, gripping her stomach.

"Life is full of surprises," I quoted.

After Lucy was done, with her fingers she wiped away her tears and turned to me, "C'mon, let's go back to the hotel. Finn is probably worried sick about us."

As I whirled around, I halted. Something wasn't right.

The air was as chilly and cruel as ever, and the streets were lit with soft glowing lamps, shedding little light to the otherwise dark and quiet atmosphere.

Something was watching us from the shadows.

"Come out!" Nothing. I was not willing to drop my guard yet. I trusted my instincts.

"Come out, scumbag!" Then I heard snarl. It was familiar, unlike any animal I had heard. Or human. My limbs stiffened and my flesh turned cold. I tasted acid on my tongue. I could hear the pounding of my heart in my ears.

The bloodthirsty sound was from the same creature that attacked my mother's laboratory.

* * *

**I'm so sorry for the long delay in posting the latest chapter of my story! It's hard when you're bogged with lots of work despite being a junior college graduate! **

**So, we are left with a cliffhanger! Yippee! What exactly is the creature that Lucy and Anna will have to deal with? And how will they fight it after witnessing its fearsome ferocity?! Find out in the next chapter that will be coming soon!**

**Reviews and comments are welcomed! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to:

CarCars2Fanatic, DancingKitKat and StacyMcMissile for your support and encouragement! I love y'all!

My last chapter took so long because I'm writing multiple stories while trying to get enough shut-eye. XD

Now onward we go!

* * *

_Oh gosh._

It was coming. Coming for me. I could hear it heaving, breathing thickly and slowly. Like an animal. No right or wrong, no guilt nor shame: just pure predatory thirst.

I stood behind a brick wall, at the edge of a narrow lane between two blocks of apartment. The place was strewn with rubbish and smelt like tobacco and grime but anything was better than being in the sights of that thing trying to sniff me out from the other end of the small alley across my side.

_Where's Lucy?_

_No. _I said. The worst came to mind. I tried to shake them out but plagued with panic and paranoia, the whispers were poisonous tendrils muscling into my consciousness.

I steadied my heart, clutching the fabric of my shirt as tight as I could. I must be calm. I had to be. I should calm down and call the police -

The world came crashing like exploding glass.

The creature, despite its size, wedged itself between the walls, tyres screeching and jaws opening and clamping, baring crooked incisors at me. I heard screaming and running, and realised it was me. I didn't care where I was going or where I was running, I needed to get away from that thing. _No. Stay away. _I needed to escape, find a way, find a way –

The open. If I ran fast enough, I could head for the main roads. I'll be safe there. Right?

I took off faster than I remembered, sprinting down the bricked slope with the wind in my hair, heart pounding in my ears like a million drums. My throat burned, my legs burned, my arms shook, but carved in my mind, nothing mattered anymore except _survive_.

"Help! Help! Someone help me!" Only the ghosts of the people who lived there remained. As I darted down the lonely road – streetlights standing eerily in the mist, bulbs dimly lit – I caught the sight of shadows, concealing themselves in fright from behind drawn curtains.

_I'm going to die._

Skidding to a halt, I realised that the creature pursuing me had vanished. No, not vanished, _waiting. Ambushing. _

My eyes darted left and right, behind and in front of me. The sweat on my back felt cold against my flesh. It was scary, like some certain scenes in movies where the protagonist is standing alone in a place the enemy can strike with ease, and right now, I was in that such scene. Except this wasn't a movie. This was very real.

The hostile growls were unmistakable. I spun on my heel and was greeted by bloodshot eyes.

The creature crept towards me, breaking the thin layer of mist, revealing what its form truly was.

"Flippin' nuts," I blurted.

_It was a car. _

Its shape was hideous; patches of rust and exposed parts made up most of it. The shade of sickening yellow that covered it was peeling and it looked like a banged up washing machine than a car that was made like, 50 years ago.

It circled me, pushing strenuously on wheels that squeaked like chalk dragged on a board – and it was extremely intimidating – like predator cornering prey.

My heart was my throat, bursting to jump out and run for its life. My knees froze and suddenly, I couldn't move or think. "Go away," I said meekly. Nice job, An.

The 'car' just bared its teeth at me and growled deeper. "Go away. Leave me alone." It crept closer.

The size of its teeth was large enough to snap my spine in half. Then, I recalled. Its weight, which were more than 3000 pounds, could crushed my body whole. No wonder that agent died.

The creature arched its back, slit eyes tacked on me, preparing to make a deathly leap at me. Its tyres propelled it into the air, and it felt like a slow-motion movie: a monster about to devour a petrified victim. I shut my eyes, bracing for the agony, until I heard a string of screams. When I snapped them opened, the car was lying on the ground, twitching and wincing, paralyzed.

Lucy was standing several feet from me with a lipstick in her grasp. She looked frazzled; her neat bun was in shambles, the blue coat she was wearing had smudges of dirt scattered over it, and one of her legs was badly bruised.

"Lipstick taser. Always works." A smirk knitted to the edges of her lips and I ran to her.

"Gosh, what happened to you?! Are you okay?" She staggered towards me. I caught her and found her surprisingly light. She replied, "Yeah, had a skirmish with this little stubborn fella. Even the tranquilizer didn't kick it into sleep."

"Your leg?"

"Just bruised. Remind me not to wear heels when I bodyguarding you. Especially on pavements made of bricks." She laughed.

_This woman was insane._ _But she saved me._

"Miss Anna! Miss Lucy!" A voice I never thought I would be happy to hear called from somewhere not so far.

"Finn! Over here!" I shouted.

The silhouette of a Peerless GT appeared from across the pavement and came zipping to us in no time. He caught sight of Lucy leaning exhaustedly against my shoulder and immediately opened his doors. "Come. Get in. I'll take you both back to the hotel."

I didn't question him why we weren't going to send her to the hospital instead.

* * *

A/N: That's all for now. The delay was mainly cause to inexplicable circumstances that happens to every writer once in all or should I say, _all _the time. XD

Hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Chapter 5

"When I received the distress call from Miss Lucy, I was bloody shocked," Finn uttered as he passed me the bag of ice, "She said it was a _zombie _car!"

"If you were in my place instead, you'll be too." I positioned the bag of freezing water blocks onto the bruised part of Lucy's spindly leg. She twitched in pain as I pressed the bag onto the bruise. "Sorry, does it hurt?"

She smiled between clamped teeth and mumbled, "All okay. Just a little sting."

The clog in my throat was unbearable, I was to blame for Lucy's injury. As minor as it was, Lucy was an agent and supposed to be in top health. Why do I always mess up everything?

"Miss Anna, if you could be so kind to spare some time," Finn paused, "to recount the incident? Miss Lucy will need time to recuperate."

I shot the car a narrowed gaze. Since Radiator Springs, I found talking or even being in the company of sentient automobiles discomfiting to me.

"Go," Lucy tugged at the small of my skirt, "I'll be fine. Make sure to tell him _everything_. He knows people who can help us if we know what exactly we're dealing with."

With a nod, I departed from the room, tagging behind the Peerless GT. We headed for the lobby and huddled at an unoccupied corner.

"Tell me everything. From the second you left the hotel until Miss Lucy came to your rescue," Finn spoke up once the coast was clear.

"I ran away, because of stress and pressure." My voice was shaking. Vivid images of this morning flashed in my mind. "I ran to the nearby park and before I knew it, Lucy was next to me. She managed to talk some sense into me and then we decided to go back to the hotel. That _thing _appeared out of nowhere, behind us, luring us into its trap. I couldn't see what it was because of the thick mist. Lucy told me to escape, so I did."

Exhale. Inhale. My hands shivered and my knees were becoming wobbly. No, I couldn't fall weak in front him. Not like the last time, in front of another car I knew.

"I don't know what happened to her after that. But I heard that creature's growl so I went to hide in an alley, which by the way, _stunk, _and it actually tried to squeeze into that narrow space to get to me. I took off, calling for help but no one answered or even opened the door for me to take shelter –

"Folks in those neighbourhoods aren't the friendly type. They tend to stay away from other people's businesses," Finn cut in.

"Wha- How selfish! As I was saying, it chased me until I was out in the open and it revealed itself before me. It was a car! A freaking mangled car, with rusty spots and spit oozing from the ridges of its crooked maw and eyes that could kill me. I was – oh gosh, wait a sec, I think I'm panicking – okay, breathe in, and then out, so I was cornered until Lucy came in the nick of time to save me. She tasered it with a lipstick, I think, and it went completely unconscious, and then you entered the picture."

I was leaning against the fogged up window. My arms wrapped around my sweater as I felt the nipping cold creep across the skin of my back.

"Alright. The evidence is undeniable. The rogue car has been sent to AVL labs for further investigation. I just received some details regarding the car. It says here that his VIN number matches one of our prisoners at Wakefield."

"Wakefield? As in the number one lock-up for extremely dangerous law-offenders in Britain?" I questioned, my eyes bulging.

Finn nodded, his brows knitted into a frown. "Yes, and whom have been found missing from the very same prison for weeks now."

"Whoa. Stop. So, he's an escaped convict?"

"No. Wakefield has lately been installed with the latest state-of-the-art security system meant to keep everything in. No one has ever succeeded in breaking out. They also informed me that a number of other prisoners have been vanishing as well."

"Oh, that's great. Now we have murderers on the loose," I remarked as I held my arms up and shook my head.

"The past few weeks featured no crimes carried out by these convicts. They could have done that a long time ago, but why aren't they doing now?" Finn spun on his wheels to look at me.

"You mean, they didn't offend any laws yet? Wouldn't that meant, I don't know, that they might be kept somewhere and...," I trailed off. I was beginning to see the whole picture.

"I see that you've understood. Exactly, I suspect that these prisoners are used as guinea pigs – I mean, guinea _cars_ – for an illicit experiment of some sort. The demeanour of the car earlier...he was acting like a monster. Savage. Unfeeling. Mindless."

"Like the same creature from the video footage of my mum's lab in the Pole," I added.

There was a soft beep. "AVL has transmitted more information. Come to my room."

Anxious, I strode next to him, keeping my gaze ahead and avoiding the curious stares and murmurs of hotel guests and employees. Wonder what they were thinking about seeing Finn and I like that...

Gah, no time to ponder about trivial matters like that!

I thumped my hand with a fist, knocking some sense into my airy mind.

Finn was gentleman though. He opened the door for me and let me go in before him. Hn, very British indeed. He made certain to check the hallway before closing the door and locking it.

For some strange reason, my cheeks were burning. Get a grip! He's a guy, but he's a car! It's not like he can do anything to you!

Finn pressed a button on the carpet, next to a small closet. The blinds automatically dropped and blocked sunlight shining from inside and immersed the room in dimness. The furniture descended into the ground and computers, monitors and cases containing weaponry took their places. My mouth hung loose as a holographic screen appeared before us.

So wrong. This car was super deadly. I edged a few inches from him.

The image of the car that assaulted Lucy and I popped up on the screen with his profile, personal data and crime records. Shivers crawled on the flesh of my arms. Seeing his disdainful mug brought back horrible memories.

"It's stated that they found traces of an unknown substance inside his systems. They are doing an analysis now and the results will be conveyed in less than a minute," Finn explained.

As we waited for the downloading bar to reach full, I adjusted my skirt and sat on the carpet. My hand trailed its smooth, velvety surface. I realised I was tired and that sleeping on a floor that reminded me of a bed was tempting.

"It's completed." Finn's voice snapped me to awakeness.

I turned my attention the screen and saw that a large question mark was flashing in front of a beaker. "Substance unknown?"

Finn's eyes steadied and his lips tightened. "This isn't good. I'm definitely not happy. If we don't know what was inside that car, we can't trace to the true mastermind."

My eyes were still at the flashing question mark. Something was bothering in the corner of my mind. Somehow, I forced myself to recall the gruesome events that were like stepping stones to a place that was worse than now.

It started with mum's phone call, followed by my arrival in London and encounter with Lucy, then the AVL HQ and that dreadful footage that could have won an award for Best Horror Real Movie-Like Moments, later the argument in the hotel and lastly being stalked by a drooling zombie thing that was no Frankenweenie.

Oh no...

"Finn." I didn't look at him. "I think I know what the substance is."

The Peerless GT, who was busy fiddling with the computer searching for a match of the chemical, averted his gaze to me. "Really now?" he asked, smiling crookedly. He must've assumed I was joking.

I finally turned towards him, putting on my most serious expression and said, "It's the chemical my mother and her team were creating in the Pole."

* * *

A/N: So, here is my attempt in making cliffhangers! Thank you to everyone who has supported this story thus far. I really appreciate it and have found writing story fuelled by various inspiration is very stimulating. Hope you all will stick around until the end!

Other than that, I've been working on other stories and because I'm such a procrastinator, I kicking myself quite often to _actually _sit down for real and type each one with patience! XD

Oh by the way, I don't know much about locations in London, so most of it are just fictional plus the behaviour of the people stated in this story. Just a heads-up to avoid offending anyone.


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